Students stole the show – even from the gleaming new building – at the Glacier Middle School Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting in SeaTac last Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019.
The new middle school was constructed on the site of the former Glacier High School (1960-80), and serves students from north SeaTac and sections of both Burien and unincorporated King County.
Glacier Middle School opened in September on time and on budget, maintaining Highline’s track record of delivering new schools as promised. Highline voters invested in building new schools when they passed a school construction bond in November 2016.
At the grand opening, choral and percussion students serenaded attendees as they arrived. Leadership students held up a handmade “Thank You, Voters!” banner and led tours after the ceremony. Student speakers displayed poise and thankfulness.
Student & Staff Speakers
Jamila Cyprian, eighth grade student speaker, said, “Thank you to everyone who built this school and voted for this school. There’s so much that I love about this school, from the people here to the actual building. I mean come on, look at this school. Do you see how nice it is?”
Sixth-grade English/language arts teacher Calvin Allan spoke for staff.
“As I look at our staff, I also see the faces of our students. Our staff is diverse, just like our students. When I look at our staff I see the future of teaching—one that reflects our students, one that honors our students, one that respects them. I am so happy to call this place my school, my pack, my family,” Allan said.
Elected Officials & Grizzlies
Principal Vicki Fisher thanked elected officials including Rep. Tina Orwall, City of SeaTac Deputy Mayor Clyde Hill and Councilmembers Peter Kwon, Pam Fernald, Stanley Tombs and Joel Wachtel, and Highline School Board Members Bernie Dorsey and Joe Van.
City of SeaTac Deputy Mayor Clyde Hill said he was proud of his education in Highline schools. He attended schools at Sunnydale, Manhattan, Sunset, Sylvester, and graduated from Highline High School. His children graduated from Tyee and Mount Rainier high schools.
“This investment into our community shows we are a growing city with a whole new generation of young leaders on the way up,” Hill said.
Fisher also recognized Water District 125 President Jerry Thornton, Sr. Thornton not only represents the water district in which Glacier is located, he was also a teacher at Glacier High School when it opened in 1960.
Thornton and GHS alumni showed up in blue Grizzly sweatshirts to support the new Glacier Middle School Wolves and tour the new facility.
Below are photos from the event, courtesy Highline Public Schools:
Project Details
Attendees toured the new middle school and campus. Glacier Middle School has capacity for 950 students. It includes a new artificial turf football/soccer field, a track and a baseball/softball field.
Thanks to a generous 19.2-acre site, Highline included a production kitchen and a dry and cold storage space in the 140,000-square-foot facility. The school is built in the shape of a “G” with a gated courtyard in the center.
Each classroom includes giant, interactive, touchscreen display boards. The lighting, heating and cooling systems have built-in smart technology to increase energy efficiency.
Glacier Middle School Service Area
Glacier includes dual language and special education programs. Sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students who live in the following elementary school service areas attend Glacier Middle School:
- Beverly Park
- Cedarhurst
- Hilltop
- Seahurst
- Southern Heights
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